Nainital, February 2
The Lok Sabha member from Nainital, KC Singh Baba has called for a speedy execution of various central plans in the district. At a meeting of the Development Monitoring Committee for the district held at Bhimtal today, Baba said all schemes implemented by various agencies needed to be monitored regularly so that they could benefit the target groups.

He told the officials present to get jobs related to water harvesting and conservation, tree plantation and repairing of canals done under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) as it would serve the dual purpose of employment and development of the villages.

Referring to the canal networks, he said construction must be done according to correct parametres so that there was no scope for damage to the canals.

The evaluation of Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana revealed that for the current financial year 914 groups were to be identified against which 531 groups had been constituted till January. A sum of Rs 138.99 lakh was scheduled to be given under the scheme, out of which Rs

104.24 lakh would be coming from the Centre while the remaining given by the state.

Baba called for making of lists of beneficiaries under the Indira Awas Yojana through open meetings of Gram Sabhas so that the issue could be taken up with the Centre. He also called for a proper survey of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) for the next time and to remove the existing anomalies.

Calling for speeding up of execution in works related to the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Baba also asked the officials to make a list of projects that were hanging fire because of forest land involved. He said this list would help in taking up the matter with the Union Forest and Environment Ministry. He also asked the officials to release more funds under MNREGA and also bring the repair of link roads to the villages under the ambit of the Act.

Baba also said the money being released from his development fund should be released directly to the executing agency so that no time was wasted.

Talking to The Tribune after the meeting, Baba expressed dissatisfaction at the pace of execution of projects. He said, “Things are moving, but a bit slow. There are problems on account of shortage of officials because of the Kumbh. Then there are problems related to the disbursement of money under the Special Component Plan”.

He was also annoyed by the absence of Forest Department officials from the meeting and said such things should not recur.

Dehradun, February 2
Employees of the Roadways Department rejoiced on receiving the government order of their pay hike, regularisation of the workforce and awaited promotions of the employees after the long tenure of tension in the state here today.

They rejoiced by burning crackers and distributing sweets among the employees of the department.

Roadways Department employees, who were with the protestors of the Ministerial Services of the Uttaranchal Federation of Ministerial Services Association, Uttarakhand, were happy with the decision of the administration.

However, they still supported the strike of the ministerial association.

Roorkee, February 2
The recent anti-encroachment drive by the administration has started bearing fruits in the town.

Not only locals, who are now getting more widened and hazard-free roads after the drive, but the hawkers and roadside vendors also expressed happiness over the step taken by the administration in allotting them an exclusive site for their business.

The hawkers, who used to do their business at various points of the town earlier, have now been shifted to a makeshift park along the Gang Canal near the Boat Club Road. With the step, a new market has come up in the town, where residents can get vegetables, fruits and other stuff.

On the other hand, most of the markets, which were encroached upon by the vendors, have got a new look with more space for traffic purposes.

“With the coming up of the market, we all are very happy,” said Niaz Ali, a fruit vendor. “Earlier, cops and Nagar Palika officials used to shoo us away from our spot, but now we have our own space,” he added.

However, Rajesh, another vendor, who used to do his business in the main market, maintained that with the relocation, his business had been affected. “But this is a temporary phase. With the time everything will be settled,” he added.

“Now we have a kind of perfect market where one can get items at genuine prices. With having more space, it has become easier to stroll in the market,” said Suresh Nagpal, a local resident.

Meanwhile, after providing light arrangements, the administration assured the vendors that very soon they would get tiled floor and other facilities in the market.

Nainital, February 2
A decision to launch a mass awareness campaign on the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, was taken here at a meeting convened by District Magistrate Shailesh Bagauli so that women suffering from the malady get proper justice.

Bagauli instructed the officials of the Women and Child Development Department and the Health Department to sensitise their employees on the issue and start taking steps for the proper implementation of the Act.

Stating that as per the provisions of the Act, every district has nominated a Protection Officer to ensure speedy justice to the victims of domestic violence, he announced that Sub Divisional Magistrate of Kashyakutauli Ravnit Kaur would be taking up the responsibilities of Protection Officer for Nainital.

He also stated that the police and revenue departments had been asked to sensitise people of the district regarding the Act by various means of communication.

Pamphlets educating the masses regarding the Act are already being circulated in the district. These pamphlets mainly address the myths and apprehensions being aired by a section of society regarding the Act. These convey that it is not a tool to break households, but aims at making families violence free. These also state that it is not against men, but against violence in the homes of people.

It is clarified that the Act is a Civil Act and gives ample space and time to perpetrators of violence to mend their ways.

The pamphlets also advocate people not to negate the Act and try to persuade them that it would not be misused.

Dehradun, February 2
In order to bring transparency and clarity in the functioning of the institutions engaged in the promotion of herbs and aromatic plants in the state, the pharmaceutical units and organisations have been brought under the State Medicinal Plant Board.

At a meeting chaired by Horticulture Secretary Vinod Fonia it was decided to attach the various pharmaceutical units under State Medicinal Plant Board.

Now Herbal Research Development Institute (Gopeshwar) and Centre for Aromatic Plants (Selaqui) will work in tandem with the various pharmaceutical units and organisations, these are in turn attached with the Board. The office of the State Medicinal Plant Board will be located in Dehradun. 

Dehradun, February 2
The list of substandard drugs being manufactured by the pharmaceutical companies in Uttarakhand enjoying tax-holiday is increasing every year.

In the latest list released by the Drug Control Authority, more than 15 companies have been found producing substandard drugs.

The companies and drugs that have been found substandard are: Acasia Biotech Ltd, Pant Nagar, (SIDCUL) Uttarakhand Nimesulide and Paracetamol Tab (Malonim Plus) batch number 8001.

Akums Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Ranipur, Haridwar Mahavital Caps batch number MMBF02.

Alps Pharmaceuticals (P) Ltd, Patal Devi, Almora-263601 (UA) Amoxycillin Disp. Tab IP 250 mg (Parmox 250 DT) batch number 8A001.

Endolabs Healthcare Pvt Ltd, Bhagwanpur village, Roorkee Rabelet-D Tab EST-14208. GSK Pharmaceuticals, Dev Bhoomi Ind Estate, Roorkee Biomycin Cream 234. Needs Pharma Pvt Ltd, 7th Mile Stone, Dehradun, Roorkee Livozyme - batch number AK8026.

Progressive Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, PO Jhabrera, Roorkee, Haridwar Anifol Syrup L-8122.

Pulse Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Khasra No. 400, 407 & 409, Karondi, Roorkee, Povidone Iodine Ointment USP (Healin) batch No. HAL-109.

Regent Ajanta Biotech, 6th Mile Stone, Peerpura Road, Delhi Highway, Roorkee-247667 Citirizine HCl Tab IP (CITLED) batch No. - LT-846.

Saimirra Innopharm Pvt Ltd, 288, SIDCO Estate, Chennai Duorandil 10 Tab batch No. - DDB8005 and others.

Experts from the pharmaceutical industry pointed out if the Drugs Controller Authority did not carry out rigorous checks, substandard drugs would continue to flood the market.

This also included the methods of transportation and sometimes the refrigeration system was faulty.

Besides the units that are located in the excise, free zones are now proving the major source of the substandard drugs.

However, there are stray cases of well-known companies that use the services of the third party to produce substandard drugs. Lack of monitoring and quality checks at various stages at times can prove to be counterproductive.

Dehradun, February 2
The CJM Court today sentenced two persons to five years of rigorous imprisonment in the infamous Rangoli Ranaut’s acid-throwing case. Avinash, along with another accomplice Prem Singh, had thrown acid on the face of Rangoli, sister of cine star Kangana Ranaut on October 5 in 2006.

While holding the two guilty of throwing acid on Rangoli, then a student in Dehradun, Chief Judicial Magistrate KK Shukla sentenced Avinash to five years of imprisonment, whereas Prem Singh has been accorded five-year sentence for throwing acid and another five-year jail for the conspiracy.

It may be recalled that Avinash, a jilted lover of Rangoli, had asked Prem to throw acid on her to take revenge for rejecting him. Prem, posing as a courier agent, went to Rangoli's house and thew acid on her due to which she suffered serious burn injuries on her face and other parts of the body.